cbgrahamkerrrecipe

Scottish Irish Stew

Graham Kerr

I am extremely fond of this dish. If you want to know what can always comfort me, It's found right here. The sweet taste of lamb that is simmered on-the-bone, the succulence of the simple vegetables, the smooth delicacy of barley and my completely new idea of serving it upon a tick bed of raw leaf spinach (that partially wilts under the sauce). Well... it's delicious!!!

Stew Base
1 teaspoon non-aromatic olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1¼ pound lamb necks
5 cups low sodium chicken stock

Stew
¼ cup barley (this can be increased to ½ cup)
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut onto ½" (1.5cm) pieces
1 pound yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into ½" (1.5cm) pieces
18 small boiling onions, peeled
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
18 whole white mushrooms, to match onion size
1 pound fresh spinach leaves, washed and stemmed

1.    To make the stew base, heat the oil in a high sided skillet on medium. Sauté the onions 1 minute. Add 4 cups of the stock and the lamb necks and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 2½ hours or until the meat falls off the bone. When the lamb is cooked, remove from broth and take the meat off the bones. Strain the broth into a fat separator.
2.    To make the stew, return the defatted broth to the pan and pour in the remaining cup of chicken broth. Now add the barley, carrots, potatoes, onion, pepper and salt. simmer, covered, on medium low for 30 minutes. Add the mushrooms, meat and cook 5 more minutes.
3.     Line 6 bowls with raw spinach leaves, pointed end up. Ladle the stew into the lined bowls and serve.

Serves 6
Per serving: 277 calories, 6g. fat, 2g. saturated fat, 6% calories from saturated fat, 35g. carbohydrates, 13g. fiber, 211mg. sodium

Vegetarian option. Peel 1 pound parsnips and cut into 2" pieces. Sprinkle with2 tablespoons tamari and let set for 15 minutes. Heat 1 teaspoon non-aromatic olive oil in a high sided skillet, sauté the parsnips, carrots, potatoes, onions and 2 turnips, peeled and cut into ½" pieces, 2 minutes. Add ½ cup barley, and pepper and pour in 5 cups low sodium vegetable broth. (Leave the salt out as the tamari is very salty.) Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes more. Serve in spinach lined bowls as in step 3.
Vegetarian per serving: 273 calories, 2 g. fat, 0g. saturated fat, 0% calories from saturated fat, 59g. carbohydrates, 18g. fiber, 200mg. sodium